Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Kafar-Nachum.
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When he finished speaking to the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 A certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.
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A Roman captain there had a servant who was on his deathbed. He prized him highly and didn't want to lose him.
3 When he heard about Yeshua, he sent to him Zakenim of the Yehudim, asking him to come and save his servant.
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When he heard Jesus was back, he sent leaders from the Jewish community asking him to come and heal his servant.
4 When they came to Yeshua, they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for you to do this for him,
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They came to Jesus and urged him to do it, saying, "He deserves this.
5 for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us."
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He loves our people. He even built our meeting place."
6 Yeshua went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.
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Jesus went with them. When he was still quite far from the house, the captain sent friends to tell him, "Master, you don't have to go to all this trouble. I'm not that good a person, you know. I'd be embarrassed for you to come to my house,
7 Therefore I didn't even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.
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even embarrassed to come to you in person. Just give the order and my servant will get well.
8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
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I'm a man under orders; I also give orders. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes; another, 'Come,' and he comes; my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
9 When Yeshua heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, "I tell you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Yisra'el."
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Taken aback, Jesus addressed the accompanying crowd: "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know about God and how he works."
10 Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.
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When the messengers got back home, they found the servant up and well.
11 It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Na`im. Many of his talmidim went with him, along with a great multitude.
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Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd.
12 Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her.
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As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession - a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow.
13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, "Don't cry."
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When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, "Don't cry."
14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
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Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you: Get up."
15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. He gave him to his mother.
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The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.
16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited his people!"
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They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful - and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, "God is back, looking to the needs of his people!"
17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Yehudah, and in all the surrounding region.
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The news of Jesus spread all through the country.
18 The talmidim of Yochanan told him about all these things.
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John's disciples reported back to him the news of all these events taking place.
19 Yochanan, calling to himself two of his talmidim, sent them to Yeshua, saying, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"
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He sent two of them to the Master to ask the question, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?"
20 When the men had come to him, they said, "Yochanan the immerser has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?'"
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The men showed up before Jesus and said, "John the Baptizer sent us to ask you, 'Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?'"
21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
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In the next two or three hours Jesus healed many from diseases, distress, and evil spirits. To many of the blind he gave the gift of sight.
22 Yeshua answered them, "Go and tell Yochanan the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
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Then he gave his answer: "Go back and tell John what you have just seen and heard: The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth have God's salvation hospitality extended to them.
23 Blessed is he who is not offended by me."
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"Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves fortunate!"
24 When Yochanan's messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about Yochanan, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
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After John's messengers left to make their report, Jesus said more about John to the crowd of people. "What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper?
25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
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Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot.
26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
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What then? A messenger from God? That's right, a messenger! Probably the greatest messenger you'll ever hear.
27 This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you.'
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He is the messenger Malachi announced when he wrote, I'm sending my messenger on ahead To make the road smooth for you.
28 "For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yochanan the immerser, yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
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"Let me lay it out for you as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer, but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him.
29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they justified God, being immersed with Yochanan's immersion.
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The ordinary and disreputable people who heard John, by being baptized by him into the kingdom, are the clearest evidence;
30 But the Perushim and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being immersed by him themselves.
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the Pharisees and religious officials would have nothing to do with such a baptism, wouldn't think of giving up their place in line to their inferiors.
31 The Lord said, "To what then will I liken the men of this generation? What are they like?
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"How can I account for the people of this generation?
32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, 'We piped to you, and you didn't dance. We mourned, and you didn't weep.'
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They're like spoiled children complaining to their parents, 'We wanted to skip rope and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk but you were always too busy.'
33 For Yochanan the immerser came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'
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John the Baptizer came fasting and you called him crazy.
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
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The Son of Man came feasting and you called him a lush.
35 Wisdom is justified by all her children."
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Opinion polls don't count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Anointing His Feet
36 One of the Perushim invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Parush's house, and sat at the table.
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One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table.
37 Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Parush's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment.
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Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume
38 Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
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and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume.
39 Now when the Parush who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner."
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When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."
40 Yeshua answered him, "Shim`on, I have something to tell you." He said, "Teacher, say on."
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Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Oh? Tell me."
41 "A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
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"Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty.
42 When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"
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Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"
43 Shim`on answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most." He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
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Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
44 Turning to the woman, he said to Shim`on, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
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Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
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You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet.
46 You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
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You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
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Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."
48 He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
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Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."
49 Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
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That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!"
50 He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in shalom."
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He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.